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MMFFS™ 2000

THE MULTIFUNCTIONAL MODULAR FLUID FILTRATION SYSTEM™ WAS
DESIGNED FOR UTILIZATION WITH U.S. MILITARY WATER PURIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION
AND STORAGE SYSTEMS. IT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES THE U.S. MILITARY'S
NEEDS
IN TWO WAYS:

THE INTERCHANGEABLEMODULES ALLOW OPERATORS TO ADDRESS A WIDE RANGE OF CONTAMINATED WATERS.
NO SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS REQUIRED · STANDARD 2" CAM LOCK FITTINGS
· READILY CONNECTS TO ALL MILITARY WATER EQUIPMENT · CONTACTOR
AND FILTER CHANGEOUTS REQUIRE NO SPECIAL TOOLS

The Multi-functional Modular Fluid Filtration System™ was designed for utilization with U. S. Military tactical water purification, distribution and storage systems. It specifically addresses the US Military's need for a portable, lightweight, high-flow pre and post treatment unit capable of enhancing ROWPU operations and aiding in meeting environmental discharge regulations.

It is capable of reducing a broad range of inorganic and organic chemicals and compounds. There are three stages of fluid process, each designed to remove a specific class of contaminant and enhance the performance of each consecutive downline stage.

Stage I is a 5 Micron (nominal) filter. All particulate matter above 5 microns is prevented from entering the system. It effectively removes dirt, sand, rust particles, debris and other large particles.

Stage III are chemical removal filters that remove THM (Tri-Halomethanes) VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), and other chemicals and serve as a final polishing stage. Effluent is filtered to 25 Microns with the capability of .5 micron filtration.

The MMFFS™ 2000 has been tested using the maximum flow capacity of 35 gallons per minute (gpm) with an operating pressure of between 40 to 60 psi. Maximum system pressure is 90 psi.

A PORTABLE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL MODULAR FLUID FILTRATION SYSTEM

Introduction

The Multi-functional Modular Fluid Filtration System (MMFFS™) relates to the field of water purification, and in particular concerns a modular mobile water purification system for use by military forces in the field. The water purification system includes a portable multi-functional filtration unit having configurable modules. The modules can be adapted to render environmental water potable or to isolate contaminants from groundwater or water from other sources such as backwash from reverse osmosis water purification units (ROWPU), membrane cleaning chemicals and wastewater from field laundry and shower units. The MMFFS™ permits safe environmental discharge of treated water, or allows the wastewater to be recycled for utility use or reused by the ROWPU as feed water. The MMFFS™ then substantially decreases the need to truck contaminated water away for disposal or for treatment. In addition to the efficient post-treatment of ROWPU discharge, the MMFFS™ can also be used as an effective and economical solution to the problem of pretreatment for the ROWPU when source water is highly contaminated, i.e.; with Nuclear, Chemical and Biological agents.

Background

A large amount of the natural water on the Earth is seawater or brackish water that is not suitable for human consumption due to the presence of salts and sediments. So-called fresh water may likewise be unsuitable for human consumption because it may contain deleterious compounds, such as bacteria or other microorganisms. Furthermore, groundwater and surface can become polluted by the actions of man. In such instances it is known to treat the water by filtration and chemical treatment steps.

Filtration involves passing water through a filter medium that stops pollutants and passes pure water. The filter medium must be cleaned or replaced when its capacity is met. A highly effective mobile filtration and purification apparatus used by the military is the reverse osmosis water purification unit or "ROWPU".

Reverse Osmosis is a method that effects the separation of solutes from a solution by causing the solvent to float through a membrane at pressure higher than the normal osmotic pressure. This is possible because of the phenomenon of osmosis. Osmosis is a phenomenon manifested by the diffusion of a solvent (such as water) through a semi-permeable membrane from an area of greater osmotic pressure (i.e., greater concentration of dissolved substance) to an area of lower osmotic pressure (i.e., lesser concentration of dissolved substance.) In reverse osmosis, the solvent diffuses through a membrane filter leaving dissolved substances, such as salts and other contaminants, behind.

Reverse osmosis purification equipment is readily sized for a particular application simply by providing the requisite area of membrane and a suitable pump. Therefore, reverse osmosis purification units are ideally suited for use at remote sites, and are conveniently transported on trailers.

These units are available in various capacities and typically are carried on trucks having such pumps and conduits as necessary to filter water from available sources. In this apparatus, water is pumped through a multimedia filter and then is forced through a membrane that passes pure water and concentrates pollutants in the water on the upstream side of the membrane. In addition, it is periodically necessary to flush or backwash the ROWPU multimedia filter and or hyper-filtration membranes to release collected contaminants from them. As the concentration of the contaminants in the raw water increases to a given limit, the throughput through the ROWPU decreases for a given pump head pressure. Also, the membrane may become caked with contaminants on the high-pressure side.

As a byproduct of hyper-filtration and/or backwashing, the water on the high-pressure of the membrane, known as the "brine," or "concentrate", carries a higher concentration of contaminants then the source water. Depending on the time used and the extent of contaminants in the source water, the concentration of contaminants in the "concentrate" and/or backwash can be sufficient to render the water unfit for discharge into natural watercourses, which could become polluted. As a result, part of the water carrying capacity of a mobile military unit is devoted to transporting concentrate and backwash to municipal or similar fixed installations for discharge.

Conveniently, during military training operations, the backwash is captured in hard walled water tankers. Once one tanker is filled, the composition of its contents is determined via well-known analytical methods. The contents of the tanker are then chemically treated. The tanker's contents are analyzed a second time. This process continues until the contents in the tanker are brought into compliance with EPA limits (NPDES) for sewer system disposal. Once in compliance, the contents are taken to a sanitation disposal site and discharged. The process of collecting and transporting concentrate (brine) and backwash, and treating and safely discharging it, requires the commitment of time and equipment. For example, it is conceivable that several tankers may need to be staged and available for collection and transport functions, each having at least one associated person on duty, in order to support the continuous operation of a ROWPU. What is needed is a multi-functional modular water filtration unit that can be adapted to treat different concentrations (brine) compositions, and which can be used in the field to render the concentrate (brine) and backwash sufficiently pure to be discharged in the same area where the source water was collected, or at least to meet the minimum environmental protection standards for discharge into municipal sewage systems. By treating the concentrate and backwash in the field, the present invention eliminates the costs of permitting, batch hauling and discharge fees associated with conventional means of treatment; reduces the risks of spillage and substantially decreases the man-hour and equipment requirements associated with current military wastewater handling methods.

The multi-functional modular water filtration unit as described herein may be easily interfaced to optimize throughput capacity versus extent of filtration, using parallel and serial configurations of filtration elements interconnected by reconfigurable fittings. In a similar manner, the filtration media can be conveniently and effectively modified to facilitate operation in a variety of circumstances and for different specific pollutants. In a preferred arrangement, a modular brine/backwash filtration unit coupled to a ROWPU can be configured using the filtration elements to treat backwash from a ROWPU sourced by a natural watercourse or municipal supply; to treat sanitary wastewater from showers, laundry facilities and the like; to treat water containing nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) contaminants before ROWPU use; to remove chemical contaminants such as oils and fuels; and to pre-treat municipal source water supplies, for example to eliminate chlorine that tends to damage reverse osmosis membranes.

Summary

For these purposes, a portable multi-functional modular water filtration unit is provided with a rigid frame; a particulate removal element attached to the rigid frame; a bank of water purifying tanks removably secured to the rigid frame; a final filtration element attached to the rigid frame; a unit inlet means adapted to connect the filtration unit to a source of raw water; a unit outlet means adapted to deliver filtered water; and, a system of quick-connect interconnection means adapted to connect the particulate removal element, the water purifying tanks and the final filtration element, wherein the water purifying tanks may be selectively connected to one another in at least one of series, parallel, and combinations thereof.

The purpose of the MMFFS™ is:

To provide a water filtration unit, which is portable and easily transported to remote locations wherever troops may be deployed.

To provide a water filtration unit which is modular in design such that multiple units may easily be arrayed together to satisfy the capacity requirements for a given application.

To provide a water filtration unit which is very flexibly reconfigurable and which easily may be modified to filter from the raw water a wide variety of different contaminants including nuclear, biological and chemical compositions.

To provide a water filtration unit comprising a bank of water purifying tanks wherein the bank may quickly and easily be removed from the unit and replaced with a fresh bank.

To provide a water filtration unit wherein the unit may quickly and easily be modified to accommodate changes in the contaminant composition in the raw water fed to the unit.

Nomenclature

Multi-functional Modular Fluid Filtration
System

Part#

MMFFS 2000

NSN#

N/A

GSA#

N/A

Unit Price

Inquire

Shipping Cost (if not
included in unit price)

FOB Allentown, PA.

External Supplements Required for Operation

Requires at least 35 gpm pump and water source.
Pump must have minimum output of 35 gpm @ 60 psi

Connections & Interfaces

Standard 2" military cam-lok (quick release)
male and female inlet and outlet for hoses and connections.

Special Tools Required

None. Standard Tool Set

Calibration Requirements

No Calibration required. Gauges are only
equipment needed to be checked for accuracy.

Routine Maintenance Schedule

Pre-filter bag must be cleaned or changed
after 25 lbs of solids have been collected, or sooner. Contactors must
be changed out after 150,000 gal or sooner. Chemical adsorber cartridges
must be replaced after 50,000 gal or sooner.

Consumables and Rate of
Consumption (batteries, fuels, lubricants, etc. Not part of routine maintenance
or external supplement)

All O-ring and gaskets in system should be
checked before and after each deployment and replaced if sign of wear
and tear exists. Locking rings,chains, hold down bars and frames and handles
must be periodically inspected for structural integrity.

Physical Dimensions -Operational Configuration

length: 74 in, width: 18 in, height: 34 in.;
Weight: 650 lbs

Restrictions on Operation

Keep from freezing and keep away from open
flame. Do not exceed 90 psi max.

Physical Dimensions - Storage &
Transport Configuration

length: 80 in, width: 24 in, height: 44 in.;
Weight: 750 lbs

Restrictions on Storage

Must be drained of all water and stored in
a dry environment. Storage temperature range -35C to 120C. Cannot be stacked.

Decontamination Procedure

Components may be decontaminated with soap
and water or 5% hypochlorite solution.

Average Life Expectancy

For filtration components life see Routine
Maintenance Schedule. All housings and frames should last indefinitely
unless damaged. Flow meter life expectancy approx. 3 - 5 years.

Disposal Procedure

Pre-filter bags can be reused or disposed
of in accordance with federal, state and locals laws. Contactors and polisher
cartridges can must be sent back to Manufacturer in supplied overpack
HAZMAT UN approved containers.

Warranty & Coverage

A warranty will be provided covering any
defective parts and all associated repair costs, including shipping and
labor, for 1 year after the date of purchase.

All parts and labor required for successful
repair or replacement will be made available by the contractor for a period
of 5 years after the date of purchase. Technical assistance will be provided
by a designated company representative, or through the company's 24 hour
toll-free help line.

Operation and Maintenance Training
Concept

The contractor will provide an instructor,
classroom, and all necessary equipment for a 1 day training session for
up to 10 personnel on use and maintenance at contractor facility at no
charge. On site training anywhere in CONUS will be billed @ $500.00 per
day plus expenses.

Manuals & Videos

The contractor will provide technical manuals
and training videos necessary for operation and maintenance.